(SportsNetwork.com) - Perception is a big problem for the NFL. Or to be more accurate, the fact that important people in the league dont understand the simple concept that perception is often greater than reality for the casual audience they crave is troubling. How else can you explain the NFLs vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, getting caught stumbling out of Jerry Jones party bus or Mr. Credibility himself, commissioner Roger Goodell, feeling its OK to have dinner with his BFF, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the day before the AFC Championship Game? Conspiracy theorists only need one innocent slip-up to build their narrative around, which is why public figures in positions that demand trust are always told to avoid the appearance of impropriety at all costs. Incompetence didnt equal conspiracy in North Texas earlier this month when referee Pete Morelli picked up the flag on what should have been a pass interference penalty against the Dallas Cowboys in their wild-card round win against the Detroit Lions, but the 9/11-truthers had the Blandino picture to bolster their spin. The fact that the same guy was instrumental in overturning Dez Bryants awe- inspiring catch a week later in Green Bay due to a bad rule that could have been easily ignored is just a pesky footnote in a short-attention-span- culture. Kraft was breaking bread with the commish before the NFL unleashed a sting operation, likely fueled by the green eye of John Harbaugh, to try to find out if the Patriots were indeed deflating football purposefully to give Tom Brady some kind of perceived edge. Will they be punished? Probably not, Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman said when asked about the issue. Not as long as Robert Kraft and Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective homes. I think he was just at Krafts house last week for the AFC Championship. Talk about conflict of interest. You know, as long as that happens, it wont affect them at all. Nothing will. Common sense says if Goodell was so intent of protecting his buddy, he might have tipped him off between courses so the evil Kraft could have alerted his rogue equipment people to stop messing with Tom Terrifics balls (you can insert Family Guy-like joke here). Instead Goodell shut his mouth, polished off his sorbet and caught the Patriots in the act with 11 of 12 deflated footballs, which more than likely meant next to nothing in their 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts. The perception, though, is dwarfing that common sense. I think the perception is the reality, Sherman said. It is what it is. Their resume speaks for itself. You talk about getting close to the line ... I dont really have a comment about that, but their past is what their past is, their present is what their present is. Its the world we live in. Its the league we play in. Ensuing Bill Belichick and Tom Brady press conferences, which attempted to explain the deflated footballs, have already launched 1,000 different comedy careers and made Science Guy Bill Nye and Mona Lisa Vito from My Cousin Vinny relevant in the world of professional football. Kraft, meanwhile, seems upset that his favorite employee didnt tip him off, even asking for an apology when the Patriots are cleared of any wrongdoing. I believe unconditionally that the New England Patriots have done nothing wrong, Kraft said before adding that if the NFL-backed investigation into the scandal finds nothing wrong, I would hope the NFL would apologize. If the (Ted} Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope that the league would apologize to our entire team and in particular Coach Belichick and Tom Brady for what they have had to endure this past week, he said. A prepared statement, of course, prohibited any follow-up questions regarding the FOXSports report that the league has identified a locker-room attendant as a person of interest in Deflategate or as many others like to call him, the sacrifice at the altar of Belichick and Brady. Whatever the outcome or the truth for that matter, though, its never going to be good enough for a portion of the public following this nonsense. And its a systemic problem. By any measure that doesnt rely on EBITDA, Goodell has had a disastrous year as NFL commissioner. But, even if he made no missteps regarding Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson or everything else that has crossed his desk, ultimately hes beholden to the people who employ him -- the owners. And the last time I looked, the puppet is never the one pulling the stings. Im disappointed in the way this entire matter has been handled, a defiant Kraft ominously said. We expect hard facts as opposed to circumstantial leaked evidence to drive the conclusion of this investigation. Translation? Know your role, friend. Fake Soccer Jerseys . -- Jonathan Diaz is easy to spot in the Blue Jays clubhouse. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Authentic . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/.com) - Edmonton Oilers forward Taylor Hall left Saturdays game against the Senators in the second period with a left knee injury. Soccer Jerseys China . - John Elways philosophy is to address immediate needs in free agency, even though some of his own veterans may prove too pricey to keep around. Stitched Soccer Jerseys . 1. AMIR JOHNSON: Nice to see him back in the lineup Tuesday night in Washington DC. Played with great energy and purpose. Its amazing when a guy gets those few precious days to recover what it does to the bounce in their step and overall game/confidence.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - As promised, Danny Trevathan has snuffed the showboat in him after his humiliating gaffe in the NFL opener. He morphed into a standout linebacker in his second season and led the Broncos in tackles after his inauspicious debut in Denvers rout of the Ravens in September. Trevathan blamed excitement over his first career start for his premature celebration of a sure pick-6 of Joe Flacco when he flipped the football aside just before crossing the goal line. That decision left teammate Wesley Woodyard with an ankle injury and made Brandon Stokley the new Don Beebe. On the other hand, if Trevathan doesnt pull a Leon Lett, maybe Peyton Manning takes the rest of the night off and doesnt get a chance to make history with his seventh touchdown throw later on in Denvers 49-27 win. Trevathans miscalculation was reminiscent of Letts gaffe in the Super Bowl in 1993 when Dallas defensive lineman was returning a fumble for a score in the Cowboys 52-17 win over Buffalo. Beebe chased down a hotdogging Lett and knocked the ball loose just before he crossed the goal line. This time, as Woodyard casually bent down in the end zone to pick up the souvenir for Trevathan, who was celebrating a few feet away, an alert Stokley dived for the football and knocked it out of the back of the end zone. Instead of a touchdown, it was a touchback. Instead of hugs and high-fives, Trevathan got harangues from teammates and defensive co-ordinator Jack Del Rio, a former linebacker. "I promised myself I would never put my team in a place like that again," Trevathan said this week. "Ill make up for it. Ill do whatever Ive got to do. I promised those who were laughing at me, Im going to make them suffer. Im going to be here and grind it out, Im going to pick it off next time, do whatever Ive got to do to go ahead and get that off my back." Redemption came one month later in Dallas when Trevathan deked Tony Romo into throwing an interception at the Dallas 24 in the waning moments of a shootout, and it came just four days after he was carted off the practice field with a knee injury that at first had him fearing his playing days were over.dddddddddddd. Trevathan briefly thought about jumping up and trying to score. Remembering the Ravens game, he decided to just stay down, allowing Manning to come on and run out the clock until Matt Praters field goal won it 51-48 as time expired. That was one of many big plays for Trevathan, a sixth-round pick from Kentucky in 2012 who led Denver this season with 124 tackles and has a dozen more in the playoffs, where hes helped hold the Chargers to 65 yards rushing the Patriots to 64. Hell be a big part of Denvers designs to throttle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch in the Super Bowl. And it all goes back to his big blunder in the opener. "Sometimes setbacks are setups for bigger things to come," coach John Fox said. "I think in his case, it was a learning experience." Trevathan worked his way into the starting lineup this summer when the Broncos moved Wesley Woodyard to middle linebacker and inserted Nate Irving on the strongside with star Von Miller having to sit out the first six games on a drug suspension. "Dannys got things that you cant coach. Hes got speed. Hes got instincts," linebackers coach Richard Smith said. "So, this gave us the opportunity to get more speed on the field." A shoulder stinger would eventually render Woodyard, a fellow Kentucky alum, a backup. "Even though hes not on the field, hes with me in my head all the time," Trevathan said. "Thats how Im going to carry him." Theres that maturity again, that growth that the Broncos believe will come in handy in the Super Bowl, where Trevathan can get the ultimate redemption. "Life is a game. Its ups and downs, highs and lows. But, you know, I like my lows and I like my highs because without my lows, I never know what my highs are," Trevathan said. "It was a rough, roller-coaster year but we pulled it together. Ive got a strong faith in God and Ive got a strong faith within my team. Were here now and weve just got to get this one more win." ' ' '